CURRENT POSITION Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies, Dept. of Media Studies, University of Colorado–Boulder DEGREE MFA, Fiber & Material Studies, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2011 FAST FACT Frost was a championship-winning mini lop rabbit breeder in middle school. FOLLOW Instagram @harmonyinbadtaste; stevenfrost.com Photo by Matt Peaver

Slay the Library

Shortly after moving to Boulder, CO, Steven Frost met Janet Hollingsworth at a party. Hollingsworth, the cofounder of Boulder Public Library’s new makerspace BLDG 61, realized that Frost’s visual arts background as a fiber artist and experience with textile and sewing programming was just what she needed. In 2016, Frost founded Sewing Rebellion at BLDG 61 to encourage people to make their own clothes or repair damaged clothing rather than buy new. The program became popular in Boulder as the upcycling and creative reuse movements grew. 

In 2019, Frost retired Sewing Rebellion. But when approached by a colleague about joining a project called Slay the Runway, in collaboration with the library and local LGBTQIA+ organizations, Frost jumped at the chance. The eight-week session would teach queer and trans teens how to sew and develop patterns, culminating in the opportunity to put on a full runway show and model their creations—complete with lights, a DJ, and guests from Boulder’s ballroom community. 

Slay the Runway was a hit with the local teens. “Beyond the queer content, which is affirming and important for them, it’s also hard work—really hard,” Frost says. Some participants who showed up with no sewing knowledge at all ended up creating multiple looks. Others taught Frost new techniques. “That’s knowledge, that’s power,” affirms Frost. “That’s the kind of thing libraries can give people.”